Return postal-card



.(No Model.) J. G. WALLACE.

RETURN POSTAL CARD.

No. 520,816. Patented June 5, 1894.

I' ""T h 6' l l 4/ 4 WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

JOHN G. WALLACE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RETU RN POSTAL-CARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,816, dated June 5, 1 894.

Application filed August 28, 1893. fierial No. 484.222. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN G. WALLACE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Return Postal-Cards, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a view of the obverse face of my improved return postal card and its adjuncts; Fig. II, a view of the reverse face of the same, and Fig. III, an end view of the device when folded for transmission.

My invention relates to improvements in return postal cards and its object is to provide a simple, convenient and economical de- 'vice designed to meet the prevalent demand for better facilities for obtaining and expediting replies to inquiries or other communications transmitted through the mails.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A designates a sheet of suitable card-board divided into three sections by a transverse crease 2 and a line of perforations 3. One end of thesheet is doubled as shown and forms aflap 4, a portion 5 of which is gummed, stapled or otherwise suitably attached to the adjoining surface of the card. The free edge 4 of the flap is thus adapted to operate as 'a spring and hold the sections of the card together when folded for transmission, as shown in Fig. III. The upper section 6 of the obverse side of the sheet may or may not be provided with ruled lines for a superscrip tion or address as may be found to be most desirable, and a mark to indicate the proper position for a stamp. The adjoining section 7 is removably attached, by a line of perforations, to a postal card 8. 'The reverse faces 6' and 7' of sections 6 and '7 constitute a blank space for the inquiry or communication to be transmitted, and the reverse face 8 of 8 is the address side of the postal card.

The peculiar utility of the device will be readily understood. The inquiry being written on the blank spaces as described, the postal card is folded twice thereon and the doubled edge of the fold inserted under the spring flap. The missive is now ready for transmission. It will be observed that when thus folded, the written message will be concealed from view and both faces of the return postal card are covered and cannot become soiled or otherwise defaced during transmission. It

is furthermore evident that when the postal bears the address of the writer of a message of inquiry, his correspondent can immediately reply with a pocket pencil, tear the return postal off at the perforated line and hand it back to the carrier or messenger who delivered it. The great saving of time thus effected, the protection of the return postal and the concealment of the message cannot fail to commend the device. It may also be utilized for circulars, advertisements, &c., thereby dispensing with envelopes for inclosing printed matter of that class. Samples of merchandise may be conveniently and safely transmitted.

What I claim as new is 1. The herein described card for conducting correspondence, consisting of a rectangular blank in three sections divided as shown and having a spring flap formed by doubling one end and gumming or otherwise fastening the portion 5 of the same, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. A card for conducting correspondence composed of three sections divided as shown presenting on the obverse side a section 6 for the address of an outgoing message, a section 8 being the blank face of a return postal card and an intermediate blank section 7: on the reverse side sections 6 and 7 to receive the outgoing message and 8' the address of the return postal in combination with a spring.

flap adapted to hold the sections together when folded for transmission, substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of witnesses.

JOHN G. WALLACE.

Witnesses J. A. HAMILTON, R. I-IENN. 

